This invention is directed generally to machines for playing back information previously recorded on tape. The invention is particularly addressed to a system for modifying the playback of the tape according to any desired format.
The art has previously proposed a number of ways of altering either a playback machine or a cassette in which the recorded tape is enclosed for modifying the replayed format of the tape. For example, it has been proposed to include sensor tabs on an audio cassette to enable the playback machine to skip various portions of the tape on playback. Other proposals have made it possible to start the playback of a tape at a particular segment thereof. However, prior proposals limit the ability of an operator to easily select particular segments of a tape for playback and to cause the machine to replay those segments in any sequence, as for example, first replaying a segment recorded in the middle of the tape and for replaying other tape segments located at other positions on the tape. Accordingly, the prior proposals generally limit the ability of an operator to format the replay of the tape.